Slotting machine



May 22, 1928. v 1,670,317

C. R. SEYMOUR SLOTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIS ATTORNEY May 22, 1928. 7 1,670,317

2;. R. SEYMOUR SLOTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1925 .6 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR HIS ATTORNEY May 22, 1928. 1,670,151 7 C. R. SEYMOUR SLOTTING MACHINE Filed Dec/3, 1925 6 s -s t 3' INV ENTOR 8W @3 JW @Mw HIS ATTORNEY May 22. 1928. 1,670,317

C. R. SEYMOUR SLOTTING MACHINE Filed 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 22, 1928. 1,670,317

\ c. R. SEYMOUR v SLOTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

CHARLES 1a. surmoun or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, assi'enon To u KNoWLToN COMZPANY, or neonnsrna, new YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

sLo'rrrIne MAonmn Application filed December This invention relates to certain improve ments in the slotting machine as disclosed in theapplication ofChester B. Pearsall, filed July 15, 1925, Serial No. 43.786, said improvements comprising a special form of slip gear interposed in the driving train to permit the independent rotary adjustment of the lower cutters to bring the zero points of the, cutters into registry with the middle line of the sheet to be slotted, and also comprising means for adjusting the respective pairs of lower and upper cutter knives longitudinally'of their supporting shafts to effect the. slotting of sheets and blanks of varying widths.v

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a slotting machine embodying the invention. I

Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the machine. i

Fig. 3 is a broken machine. j

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine. 1

Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional sideelevation'of two of the rotary cutters, on the line 5 5f of Fig. 6. i i i Fig. .6 is a vertical longitudinal sectipn through the cutters. V

Fig. 7 is a broken side view of themain member of the lower cutter.

Fig. 8 is an enlargedside elevationof the slip gear and its coacting parts.

Fig. 9 is, a section on line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a sheet comprising four blanks slitted'and creased longitudinally by a slitting and creasing machine preparatory to entering the slotter of the present invention.

Fig. 11 shows the sheet immediately after entering the ,slotter with the transverse creases and the left edge slot-s partly formed.

Fig. 12 shows the transverse nearly completed, the left edge slots finished and the center slots nearly finished.

Fig. 13 shows the sheets with the left edge slots and the center slots completed and the right edge slots started.

Fig. 1.4 shows thefcompletely slotted sheet ready for breaking apart into four box blanks. q

As generally described. the slotting machine is constructed and-designed to receive sheets of pasteboard, corrugated board, or the like. from ,a slitting andcreasing machine of standard type, which slits and front elevation of the creases a, 1925. sets; 72,857.

slots in the front and rear edges and the intermediate portion of the sheet, as particularly described in the application aforesaid. I The shaft 30, which supports thelower rotary slotters, is journaled in hearings in the side members of the frame 10 and has the lower rotarycutters secured thereto in setsof three for individual longitudinal adjustment with respect to the shaft. The

, structural and operative details oit'the lower rotary cutters are illustrated more particularly in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Thebody portion of each cutter comprises a hollow hubi like casting having a peripheral flange 52 and a threaded shoulder 51, with an annular recess 50 formed in the faceot the flange 52 adjacent the threaded shoulder 51; Co-

operating with tlie threaded shoulder 51 is clamping ring 54 having an annular i'e- 'cess 55 corresponding to recess 50 in the member 50,;and a flatface paralleling the innerface of flange 52 and serving to clamp the interposed knives rigidly in position, when ring 54 is setup. Mountedtor peripheral adjustment the shoulder of the hub section 50 are four knives 56, 57, '58 and 59, which extend heyondthe peripheral edge of the hub 50. said knives comprising relativelytliin arc-shaped'blades, the peripheral edges of which, constitute the cutting or excising elements, the successive blades overlapping each other, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. and being clamped firmly in adjusted relationbetween the flange 52 hub section 50and the clamping 'ring'54. The several arc-shaped knives are provided on theirinner rim with arcuate rack-s56, 57 58fand 59, respectively, riveted thereto, the racks on overlapping knives being disposed on op-: posite sides, and operating in the recesses 50 in the hub section and in a corresponding r to effect this circumferential adjustment simultaneously in all of the lower cutters, there are provided four shafts 62, which traverse corresponding openings 53 in each member 50, the several shafts preferably i being square in cross section and engaging by mcans'of which the exact position of the several knives may be determined.

The knives 56 and 59 are designed to cut the slots A and C in the forward and rear edges respectively, of the sheet, as the latter is fed through the slotter, while the knives 58 and 57 operate to out a single slot B in the middle of the sheet, and, as the width of the sheet is sullicient to form two blanks, each middle slot constitutes the slot in. the right marginal edge of one blank and the slot in the left marginal edge of the adjacent blank. From the foregoing, it will be evident that the length of the center slots B will be determined by the distance between the points or ends of knives 58 and 57. as indicated in Fig; 4. In order to properly position the knives 58 and 57 to cut the proper length of slot B, the knives are adjusted so that their points or terminal edges lie equal distances from the zero point of the s 'ale. as indicated inFig. 4. and, these distances are indicated in inches and "fractions thereof on the scale. it is obvious that accurate setting of the knives to excise slot 1 of proper length may be effected readily. It. will be apparent that the longitudinal center line of each sheet fed to the machine must register with the zero point of 11011 of the lower cutters and special means are provided for effecting this relation for different widths of sheets, as will be hereinafter explained.

-As knives 56 and 59 out slots in the front and rear'edges of the sheet, the setting of these knivesto cut slots of the proper depth may be readily effected by reference to the scale on the peripheral edge of the hubv 50, the scale reading inbothdirections from the zero point. as indicated in Fig. 4.

In order 'to adjust the lower cutters so that: the zero points onthe scales may be brought i into coincidence with the longitudinal center lines of sheets of varying widths, the shaft carrying the lower entters is provided with a special slip gear connection shown in Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 9, which admits of the rotary adjustment of the shaft and the cutters independently of the driving mechanism. Secured to the reduced outer end 32 of shaft 30 is a hub 33 having an annular slmulder 3-1, upon which is mounted a gear ring 35, which meshes with gear 12 of the driving train. The ring 35 is normally locked to said hub 33 to drive the shaft 30 by means of bolts 38 passing through holes 36 in the hub section. said bolts having squared heads 39 engaging an annular T slot 37 formed in the ring 35. \Vhcn the nuts of the bolts 38 are set up, the gear ring 35 is clamped to the hub. W'hcn, however, the nuts are loosened. the head ends of the bolts slide freely in the T slot and the hub and shaft 30 may be freely rotated independently of the gear ring 35. Approximately one-half of the periphery of the hub 33 is provided with gear teeth, 1]. which are engaged by a pinion fast to a shaft 42 journaled in an opeiting 43 fori'ned in the ring 35, the outer end of the shaft being squared to receive an operating crank.

An angular bracket at bolted to the gear ring 35 is provided with an opening through which the shaft lQ extends and with a pointer or index 44, which registers with a sca'le (see Fig. 8) marked on the face of the hub 33 adjacent the teeth 41 thereon. 3y loosening the nuts 40 on the bolts 38, the gear ring and the hub may be independently rotated and by applying the crank to the squared end of shaft 42 and turning the latter in the appropriate direction, a relative rotatory adjustment between the hub 33 and the gear ring may be effected to accommodate sheets of different widths, the proper. :uljnstment being im'licatcd by the pointer 44; on the scale. so that the Zero points of the lower cutters will he ln'ought into coincidence with the center line of the sheets. The scale on the hub fiilbcinjr graduated in inches. it will be apparent that the necessary adjustment may be readily effected. Said scale on the hnbisgraduated for sheets varying in widths from twentytwo inches to sixty-eight inches. the scale indication denoting the width of half the sheet. After the adjustment of the shaft 30 and the lower cutters to accomn'nulate the particular sheets to be operated upon, the nuts 40 are s t up and the gear ring 35 clamped to hub 33 in proper relation to rotate shaft 30 and the lower cutters in the normal operation of the machine.

The upper cutters correspond in number and relative position on shaft with the lower cutters on shaft 80. Each of said upper cutters comprises a hub section 90,

keyed toshaft 8O foradjustnient longitudinally of said shaft, preferably by a split wedge clamp such as isbi-tlin'arily used for fastening scoring or slitting knives to their supporting shafts. The hub has a e ripheral flange 91, which constitutes a clamping jaw, and the cylindrical portion of the hub adjacent, the flange is providecl with a screw threaded section 90 to receive a threaded ring 93, which forms the second member of the clai'np, between which ring and flange 91 are securely locked two an? itlar knives 94;, 94, which are separated by a spacer ring of less diameter than the knife rings and which leaves a space betweenthe knives 94, O lcorrespondiiig in width with the knives on the lower cutter. As indicated. the screw threaded ring serves to clamp the knives 9 1:, 9st and the interposed spacer ring 95 against the titted flange ill. on the hub, and the knives are vlocked in position by pins 97, which en age openings in the flange 91 and the ring .33.

Special means areprovid'ed for adjus the upper and lower cutters longitudinally of their supporting shafts to bring the knives into alignment with the creases in the blanks, so that the slots will be pro-perly positioned with respect to the creases. The aojustingmeans are carried by the individual lower cutter elements, so that, when the upper cutters are unlocked from clamping engagement with their supporting shaft 80 and the latter ,is lowered to bring the knives of the upper and lower shafts into interlockingengagement, the two sets of cutters may be simultaneously adjusted along their shafts. The adjusting means is illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 and comprises the following instrumentalities:

Fitted in a seat in the shaft 30, which supports the lower cutters, is a key 7 O which has an outwardly extending rib 71 which engages a similar seat in the hub member 50, the outer face of said rib being provided with gear teeth which are properly fashioned to mesh with a worm 73 journaled on a shaft 72 mounted transversely of the hub casting 50, the worm 73 having connected therewith a bevel-gear 74 which meshes with a bevelgear 75 on the end of a shaft 76 mounted in a sleeve 78 formed integrally with the hub section, the end of the shaft 7 6 projecting through an opening in the hub section and being provided with a squared Wrench engaging portion 77, by means of which the shaft may be rotated, either by a, hand wrench or by an electrically driven wrench. By rotating the shaft 76 in one direction or the other, the corresponding lower knife will be adjusted longitudinally of its supporting shaft 30 by the engagement of the Worm 7 3 with the rack 71 and the adjusting movement of the lower cutter will effect the correspond ing adjustment of the cooperating upper cutter, by reason of the engagement of the knives of the two cutters. After the desired adjustment of the several sets of cutters have been effected, the upper cutters are again lockedin position on their supporting shaft and the machine is again ready for operation.

From the foregoing description and illustration', it will be apparent that the machine is adapted to operate upon sheets of varying lengths and widths for A slotting multiple blanks comprised within a single sheet, the cutters of each set being adjusted to operate upon blanks of varying sizes by adjusting the cutters of each set longitudinallyof their supporting shafts and "by adjusting the knives of the lower cutters circumferenti'ally ofthe hub-like holders therefor to cut the marginalslots of two blanks disposed transversely of the sheet at one operation, the intermediate knives of each lower cutter excising a slot in the mid section of the sheet, which slot, when the sheet is divided along its median line, constitutes edge slots of adjacent blanks and theterminal knives ofeach lower cutter forming the slots in the front and rear edge of the sheet, which slots are complementary to the single slotformed by tl'ieintermediate knives; It will be seen, therefore, that a single machine is particu larly adapted to accurately slot two, four orsix blanks defined within the area ofthe sheet by the slitting and creasing machine and to deliver the slitted,creased and slotted sheets in condition to be broken apart into individual blanks, whlch areready for 1mtill mediate folding and staying to constitute upper and lower shafts, rotary cutters on the upper shaft, rotary cutters on the lower shaft cooperating with the cutters on the upper shaft, each lower cutter including circumfercntially adjustable knives for cutting slots in two blanks included within the width of a sheet, and means for driving the shafts, said means including a sh gear connected with the lower shaft whereby the latter may be rotatably. adjusted independently of the driving means.

2. A blank slotting machine comprising upper and lower shafts, rotary cutters on the upper shaft, rotary cutters on the lower shaft cooperating with the cutters on the upper shaft, each lower cutter including circumferentially adjustable knives for cutting slots in two blanks included within the width of a sheet, a gear train for driving both shafts, said train including a slip gear on the lower shaft, said slip gear comprising a hub fast to the lower shaft, a gear rim rotatable on said hub, bolts for locking the rim to the hub, and means for rotating the hub and lower shaft independently of the gear train.

3. A blank slotting machine comprising upper and lower shafts, rotary cutters on the upper shaft, rotary cutters on the lower shaft cooperating with the cutters on the upper shaft, each lower cutter including circumferentially adjustable knives for cutting slots in two blanks included within the width of a sheet, a gear train for driving both shafts, said train including a slip gear on the lower shaft, said slip gear comprising a hub fast to the lower shaft, a gear rim rotatable on said hub, bolts for locking the rim to the hub, and means for rotating the hub and lower shaft independently of the gear tain. said means includin gear teeth on said hub, a pinion journa ed on said gear rim engaging the teeth on the hub, and a crank engaging portion on the pinion journal.

4. A blank slotting machine comprising upper and lower shafts, rotary cutters on the upper shaft, rotary cutters on the lower shaft cooperating with the cutters on the upper shaft, each lower cutter including circumferentially adjustable knives for cutting slots in two blanks included within the width of a sheet, a gear train for driving both shafts, said train including a slip gear on the lower shaft, said slip gear comprising a hub fast to the lower shaft, a gear rim rotatable on said hub, bolts for locking the rim to the hub, and means for rotating the hub and lower shaft independently of the gear train, said means including gear teeth on said hub, a shaft journalcd on said gear rim and having a crank engaging end, a. bracket fixed to said gear rim through which the shaft extends, said bracket havin an index pointer on its end, a pinion on said shaft engaging the teeth on the hub, and score markings on the hub cooperating with said pointer.

5. A blank slotting machine comprising upper and lower shafts, cooperating rotary cutters on said shafts, each cutter including a hub and coordinate knife clements,'and means for adjusting the individual cutters longitudinally of the supporting shaft, said means including a rack secured longitudinally of the shaft, a worm journaled in the cutter hub and engaging said rack, and means carried by the said hub for operating said worm.

6. A blank slotting machine comprising upper and lower shafts, cooperating rotary cutters on said shafts, each cutter including a hub and coordinated knife elements, and means for adjusting the individual cutters longitudinally of the supporting shaft, said means including a rack secured longitudinally of the shaft, a worm journaled in the cutter hub and engaging said rack, a bevelgear secured to said worm, a shaft journaled in a transverse bearing in said hub and having a wrench engaging portion on its outer end, and a bevel-gear on the inner end of said shaft meshing with the bevel-gear associated with said worm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' CHAS. R. SEYMOUR. 

